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I think the stuff I used was $32. for that you get 30 strips. after doubling them up you get 15 or $2.13 for a 1 x 1.5. You can buy a 2x4 for under $2 and rip it in three 1 x1.5 pieces so that is under $ .60 a piece. Good luck finding straight enough studs, that will also stay straight after you rip them.

I think the stuff I used was $32. for that you get 30 strips. after doubling them up you get 15 or $2.13 for a 1 x 1.5. You can buy a 2x4 for under $2 and rip it in three 1 x1.5 pieces so that is under $ .60 a piece. Good luck finding straight enough studs, that will also stay straight after you rip them.

So I guess I bought the wrong stuff if what I got was the 15/32" ply at 16 bucks...serves me right waiting till I am at HD

So I guess I bought the wrong stuff if what I got was the 15/32" ply at 16 bucks...serves me right waiting till I am at HD

As long as you didn't buy OSB, I can't think of a reason a cheaper ply would make a difference for building a fabric frame. I also cant imagine that a 1/16th of an inch would make a difference as long as the insulation behind the frame doesn't stick up past the edge of the frame. I've never built one, though. So I'd always defer to BIG on something like this.

As someone pointed out to me, when you sell billions of sq ft of plywood shorting the customer by 1/16 of an inch adds to the corporate P&L I think I used 15/32. The only thing on cheap plywood is if there are a bunch of voids then your bevel cuts can get messy. It is quite possible that you may need to use some wood putty if the void falls at a critical

Turns out I now know the difference...the one is straight plywood, the rough stuff as described by BIG. The expensive stuff that is 1/2" is sanded and allegedly more like a furniture grade, so it is much nicer... I will see how it goes with the 16$ stuff first and then decide. I only bought one sheet to try and get motivated to finish some items that have been waiting a long time.

so I started to rip my strips and I will be quick to admit that the last time I used a table saw was like shop class in 8th grade...a long time ago.

So, my table saw is the basic skil saw. The thing is no frills, if there was one thing I knew was cheap even before buying it, it was the rip fence. For the most part, my cuts are pretty straight and even, but some are slightly smaller and others larger than another member. the amount is minimal, but it is enough to notice.

I wanted to ask before getting too deep into this, is that an issue or will I be OK if I put all the overhangs to the inside of the frame?

Maybe it is my technique, maybe it is the cheap saw, but is there any tips that ensure even cuts every time? Can I replace the rip fence with a better one that is nice and sturdy like the ones on the more expensive saws? Heck, the one thought I did have was to cut a 1-1/2" piece of wood and then instead of the rip fence, clamp a piece of wood to the table and use that as the guide. Any thoughts or recommendations are welcome.

A problem with smaller table saws is that the sheet of plywood sags where it's not supported. That leads to curved cuts.

A nice straight 2x4 might be better than the built in fence. Especially if you screw a piece to the bottom of it where it overhangs the saw table to support the workpiece.

Be careful with that saw. Stay away from the blade. Make sure the saw is stable. Wear your safety glasses. No gloves or loose clothing. Stay away from the blade. Keep your nuts out of the line of fire in case of a kick back.

A problem with smaller table saws is that the sheet of plywood sags where it's not supported. That leads to curved cuts.

A nice straight 2x4 might be better than the built in fence. Especially if you screw a piece to the bottom of it where it overhangs the saw table to support the workpiece.

Be careful with that saw. Stay away from the blade. Make sure the saw is stable. Wear your safety glasses. No gloves or loose clothing. Stay away from the blade. Keep your nuts out of the line of fire in case of a kick back.

Oh yeah, I stood to the side mostly...started sort of in front of the saw but quickly shifted to the side.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BIGmouthinDC

One thing I do is have the sheets ripped in 1/2 (or other logical division) the long way at Lowes/HD (Free). They are a whole lot easier to handle on the saw.

I had then cut my sheet into 4's so I could get it in the car. I had my son with me so I could only fold half the back seat down. This actually worked out better for me in the end as all sheets are now just 4 feet long.

One thing is for sure with the smaller saw though, it sure can tip easily. There was a few times as I forced the board against the fence that I felt the thing want to tip, so I ask this. Once I am into the cut, do I have to continue to force the board against the fence to ensure I maintain a straight cut?

Since you had the pieces cut down to size already, you might consider making a feather board to help with this. Pretty straightforward, and you can usually make one out of leftovers you have lying around. It would help to maintain a constant pressure on the sheet as it's moving through the blade.

with the feather board would I essentially cut everything to just over my wanted size and then go back with the feather board to slide each piece one last time to ensure the perfect cut? I ask because my sheets are 2' wide and I slide it through like 12-14 times, each time it gets smaller, so the feather board does not seem practical unless each cut is on the same size board, hence a rough 1-2/3" cut then send em through for the final...

just thinking aloud, I have no idea, just trying to learn and understand. Thanks!

Actually my HVAC guy just dropped off a box of it. I don't know what the brand was, it looks like just standard insulated flex duct to me. All that really matters is the diameter, and if it is insulated or not as far as I know. Sorry I don't have more specific information!

with the feather board would I essentially cut everything to just over my wanted size and then go back with the feather board to slide each piece one last time to ensure the perfect cut? I ask because my sheets are 2' wide and I slide it through like 12-14 times, each time it gets smaller, so the feather board does not seem practical unless each cut is on the same size board, hence a rough 1-2/3" cut then send em through for the final...

just thinking aloud, I have no idea, just trying to learn and understand. Thanks!

I didn't think about the number of times you were cutting that sheet down. I guess it would depend on just how accurate your cuts are as to whether it's worth trying to do a rough cut and then a final. the idea was to keep you from having to worry with applying as much pressure against your fence.

It's a pretty dangerous situation if you're concerned about tipping your saw over. These things are dangerous enough under good circumstances. They don't anything to make it worse.

One thing is for sure with the smaller saw though, it sure can tip easily. There was a few times as I forced the board against the fence that I felt the thing want to tip, so I ask this. Once I am into the cut, do I have to continue to force the board against the fence to ensure I maintain a straight cut?

You may want to screw the saw to a more stable base.

Yes you need to exert force to keep the board against the fence.
Stand at the rear corner diagonally opposite the blade and the fence. Right hand of the rear edge, left hand up along the side of the board. If you are new to this lower the blade into the table and practice moving the board across the table keeping contact with fence at all times. Once you have your standing position and hand positions practiced, raise the blade and make your cut, Be sure to have a push stick handy to clear the cut strips.

I came across these videos the other night. The product he is pushing seems pretty nice (a bit pricey). You can disregard the product placement and focus on the safety tips. His slow-mo kickback demonstration might save someone a trip to the emergency room.

Yes you need to exert force to keep the board against the fence.
Stand at the rear corner diagonally opposite the blade and the fence. Right hand of the rear edge, left hand up along the side of the board. If you are new to this lower the blade into the table and practice moving the board across the table keeping contact with fence at all times. Once you have your standing position and hand positions practiced, raise the blade and make your cut, Be sure to have a push stick handy to clear the cut strips.

minus the stand, I guess I was doing something right, this is exactly where I stood. started diagonal front but ended at the back as the board shrunk. I cleared the pieces by pulling them out the back. They were 4 feet long, So I was nowhere near the blade.

As far as pressure, should it be a lot of pressure or as long as there is some, should the board stay against the rail pretty good?

If you have to exert a lot of pressure, something is wrong. It is more like steering a car. It is not about force just attention to detail.

Assuming you are starting with a straight factory edge, each cut should be pretty easy. You might make sure you have a sharp blade, and I found that thinner blades are more problematic as a general rule because they tend to wander a bit.

Watched the original "Alien" last weekend. It's one of my "Oldie but goodie" movies! The more I watch movies in this theater the more I love it. My wife constantly complains every time a movie is in standard 16:9. She will say, "WTF, no widescreen???" I wish I could wipe my movie memory so I could watch all of my favorites again for the first time!

If you have to exert a lot of pressure, something is wrong. It is more like steering a car. It is not about force just attention to detail.

Assuming you are starting with a straight factory edge, each cut should be pretty easy. You might make sure you have a sharp blade, and I found that thinner blades are more problematic as a general rule because they tend to wander a bit.

If you have a really cheap table saw that may be your problem.

It could just be my novice talent and knowledge of a table saw use...the boards slid through quite easy, I think my extra pressure is me just being anal trying to make sure I am staying tight against the rail.

What a day, I broke the rear window in my pickup and Damelon broke his camera, Somehow in the middle we made some progress.

First we had some plans.

Riser

Stage

So we hopped into my 20 year old pickup (80K miles) and went to Lowe's

There on aisle 17 we picked up a stage and riser.

If filled 3 carts, Damelon up in front I'm pushing from the back. At this point I was thinking "Some Assembly may be required". If you look closely you will notice we were able to buy 3/8 inch pre-curved plywood stage fronts, this saves a lot of time trying to curve then yourself.

It fits!

I need to document that our trip to Lowe's took 3 hours, I think we were having wood cut for 2 of the 3 hours. Then there was the KFC drive thru window where we picked up some sandwiches.

We got a good portion of the riser cut and assembled

We got the stage framed

During the cleanup of the room at the end of the day I decided to finally try one of the tricks of pulling cable in a conduit

Tied a 7-11 bag on some nylon cord, one of the helpers held the vacuum hose to the projector conduit and I positioned the bag at the other end and before I could say "here it comes", the vacuum ate the bag and string.

Tomorrow we hope to get the decking on. That all depends on how fast Damelon can haul sand.

Would two layers of 1/4" luan do the job if pre-curved 3/8" plywood is not available? I could not find the pre-curved plywood in the local Home Depot.